this treasure

Month: March 2019

Good morning! Please read Judges 1, Judges 2, and Judges 3:1-30. 3 months in and you are doing great!

When the people entered the promised land and failed to oust the Canaanites, it shouldn’t have been a surprise when their children failed to serve the one true God. Joshua has passed away, and –

“Eventually that entire generation died and was buried. Then another generation grew up that didn’t know anything of God or the work he had done for Israel” (Judges 2:10 MSG)

So sad! After everything they’ve been through, so many years, so many trials, so many victories, so much poured into them by Moses…. Imagine a generation being raised with this other people, their culture, their false gods…. even if they were just laborers, they were still a presence. If you were raised there, you’d probably just accept it.

(I also notice that Moses continually poured into Joshua as he led the people of Israel, purposefully mentoring him to be the next leader. I don’t notice that Joshua grooming anyone…. is this significant? Who are you pouring into? A leader duplicates him/herself).

What is that saying – “what you tolerate becomes your standard”? So important to live by God’s standards AND teach them daily to your children.

Please read Joshua 22, 23, and 24. Lots going on today – it’s hard to just hit a few highlights! What would your highlights be today?

When the Reubenites, Gadites, and half tribe of Manasseh built the altar, the people misunderstood and spoke against them. But notice: these tribes were not offended by the misconception nor did it stop them!

“He knows and he’ll let Israel know if this is a rebellious betrayal of God. And if it is, don’t bother saving us. If we built ourselves an altar in rebellion against God, if we did it to present on it Whole-Burnt-Offerings or Grain-Offerings or to enact there sacrificial Peace-Offerings, let God decide. But that’s not it. We did it because we cared” (Joshua 22:22-24 MSG)

Sometimes we are also misunderstood – but we can’t let those times cause offense or stop our progress. It hurts to be misunderstood sometimes! I like it when we get to familiar verses (choose this day who you will serve) in their own context – so powerful!

“choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15 NKJV)

Throughout chapter 24, Joshua recounts his journey like Moses did, leaving a legacy for the people. It’s important to remember the past as a matter of warning or encouragement. It’s equally important that we not dwell in the past or let the enemy use past mistakes against us to stop our progress.

“After all this, Joshua son of Nun, the servant of God, died. He was 110 years old” (Joshua 24:29 MSG)

It’s been lots of lists and details and laws and numbers and promises and consequences…. so many things to remember! I’m comforted by the fact that God never forgets and nothing escapes His attention. This verse was my favorite today:

“Not one word failed from all the good words God spoke to the house of Israel. Everything came out right” (21:45 MSG)

Not one, out of all of those words, not one failed. Everything came out right. Does anyone else have a personal situation in which you need everything to come out right?

Good morning! Please read Joshua 18, and Joshua 19:1-48. What are you thinking about this morning? Is the Lord impressing anything on your heart?

Joshua asked the people how long they would put off taking possession of the land God had promised to them –

“Joshua addressed the People of Israel: ‘How long are you going to sit around on your hands, putting off taking possession of the land that God, the God of your ancestors, has given you?’ ” 18:3 MSG

Isn’t it funny that they haven’t taken possession already? After years in the wilderness, I’d think they’d be motivated to go! Sometimes the end of a project/mission/journey is a time where I might be tempted to “lose steam” too – all the little details seem tedious, or maybe the people think “what’s the rush, it’s ours already”…. That’s the moment we need to keep moving forward, finish strong!

P.s. my apologies to Leviticus and Numbers for trying to skim through laws and (well) numbers always seemed tedious. The wars and dividing up of the land have been a little tedious too – but I’m still reading every name, paying attention to details…. there is a reason that God had these details recorded! Confession: sometimes I have to read it twice, lol!

Please read Joshua 15:20-63, Joshua 16 and Joshua 17. Try not to “skim”! 🙂 How about circling or making note of the names you recognize as Joshua goes about dividing up the territories, just to keep you engaged? What “tricks” do you use to stay alert during these long passages?

The people received lots based on their size (and as we see with the tribe of Manasseh and the people of Joseph), their lot might increase as God increased them. Do you think the same principle works for us today? If we prove trustworthy with what we are given, we might be entrusted with more? (Luke 12:48 says, “Much will be expected from the one who has been given much, and the more a man is trusted, the more people will expect of him” Phillips).

“God commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our kinsmen.” And Joshua did it; he gave them, as God commanded, an inheritance” (17:4 MSG)

We continue to see Joshua being obedient. I like reading these names and thinking; “Hey – I know that guy! We read about him when….” 🙂

When Joshua had reached a venerable age, God said to him, “You’ve had a good, long life, but there is a lot of land still to be taken” (12:1 MSG)

I love how the tribe of Levi’s inheritance is God Himself.

“Levi was the only tribe that did not receive an inheritance. The Fire-Gift-Offerings to God, the God of Israel, are their inheritance, just as He told them” (12:14 MSG)

God always provides for us, and a lot of times we have an abundance, but to be satisfied with God alone is a gift. We haven’t gotten there yet, but it makes me thinks of when Paul writes in 1 Tim 6:6: “Now godliness with contentment is great gain”.

Please read Joshua 7:1, 1 Chronicles 2:7, Joshua 7:2-26, and Joshua chapters 8 and 9. Lots happening today, but as always, I’m just here to hit a few highlights. What stands out to you today?

“God said to Joshua, “Get up. Why are you groveling? Israel has sinned: They’ve broken the covenant I commanded them; they’ve taken forbidden plunder—stolen and then covered up the theft, squirreling it away with their own stuff. The People of Israel can no longer look their enemies in the eye—they themselves are plunder. I can’t continue with you if you don’t rid yourselves of the cursed things. So get started. Purify the people. Tell them: Get ready for tomorrow by purifying yourselves. For this is what God, the God of Israel, says: There are cursed things in the camp. You won’t be able to face your enemies until you have gotten rid of these cursed things” (Joshua 7:10-13 MSG)

The people committed a sin, so Joshua went to God (that was right!). I notice God’s response the most – “so get started, purify the people”. God wasn’t done with them because they made a mistake – He is long suffering toward all. He commanded them to purify themselves and move on. His response to our sin is the same – repent and receive forgiveness, and then move forward with Him (1 John 1:9).

“but they didn’t ask God about it” (Joshua 9:14 MSG

Moving forward without consulting the Holy Spirit – that’s a mistake every time. There are consequences (meant to train us, not stop us). 1 Corinthians 15:57 says that God will always lead us to victory.

Please read Joshua 3, 4, 5 and 6 today. Joshua has been anointed to take the lead – let’s see how it works out for him and the children of Israel!

“God said to Joshua, “This very day I will begin to make you great in the eyes of all Israel. They’ll see for themselves that I’m with you in the same way that I was with Moses” (3:7 MSG)

Do you remember Joshua leading the people across the Jordan? God split the waters again and they walked across on dry ground. Amazing!

Joshua called out the twelve men whom he selected from the People of Israel, one man from each tribe. Joshua directed them, “Cross to the middle of the Jordan and take your place in front of the Chest of God, your God. Each of you heft a stone to your shoulder, a stone for each of the tribes of the People of Israel, so you’ll have something later to mark the occasion. When your children ask you, ‘What are these stones to you?’ you’ll say, ‘The flow of the Jordan was stopped in front of the Chest of the Covenant of God as it crossed the Jordan—stopped in its tracks. These stones are a permanent memorial for the People of Israel.’” (4:4-7 MSG)

Taking a cue from Moses, Joshua builds a memorial in front of all the people, and give God the glory. Today, we also read about the walls of Jericho (Joshua 6). Big day!

It’s so precious that God buried Moses Himself – such an intimate thing, such a beautiful picture, especially considering their close relationship. I like that no one but God knows where his bones are.

“Moses died there in the land of Moab, Moses the servant of God, just as God said. God buried him in the valley in the land of Moab opposite Beth Peor. No one knows his burial site to this very day” (34:5-6 MSG)

It also strikes me how Moses never displaced his anger – even though he wouldn’t receive the land promised through his ancestors Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Moses uses his last words to bless the people. (Would you have blamed him for saying something like, “Y’all were really awful, disobedient, caused me daily stress, and yet here you are: about to enter the promised land without me, thanks alot.”). Moses didn’t have to displace emotion or lay blame – God was his inheritance.

“No prophet has risen since in Israel like Moses, whom God knew face-to-face. Never since has there been anything like the signs and miracle-wonders that God sent him to do in Egypt, to Pharaoh, to all his servants, and to all his land—nothing to compare with that all-powerful hand of his and all the great and terrible things Moses did as every eye in Israel watched” (34:10-12 MSG)

Now it’s time for Joshua to take the lead. Let’s continue this journey!